Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-05-12
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
II Is Most Encouraging One, Ac-
Cording TO Reports from Lead.
Ing Commercial Centers.
No Apparent Bad Results from the En-
forcement of the National
Railway Law.
[Chicago special.l


the wholesale business Of Chicago was al
most without parallel in its history. The
consumption of goods was simply enormous.
This was in a great measure attributed to
the change to be made in railroad freight
rates by the operation Of the interstate COM
merce law, which went into effect early
in April. Now that that time has passed
and dealers throughout the country are be-
ginning to understand the present cost OF
transportation, the immense demands tor
goods throughout the month OF March
turns out not 10 have been so
| spasmodic as it was then supposed 10
| be, but genuine revival Of business
| throughout the West and Northwest, as
there has been during the last three weeks
and is now greater activity among the
| wholesale firms OF this city than Is usual
at this season of the year. The new law
acted as a check and nothing more. All
through the country west of Chicago, even
| to the Pacific coast, the new law is benefit
| to the Garden City, as it enables shippers
to send goods to points they could not
cover before, as they were controlled by
the jobbers in the interior towns. Thus
Chicago is becoming more and more the
base Of supplies for. the whole West and
| Northwest.
There was, Of course, n marked fall
ing off in the dry-goods trade during last
month as compared with March, which was
a phenomenal one; but April more than
held its own as against the same time last
year, and the outlook for late spring and
summer demand is q very satisfactory one:
A good volume of business was transacted
| all through the month by the millinery
houses. There hos never been so set,sfac-
tory a spring season, and it Is closing
earlier than usual. good order trade is
anticipated until the hot weather sets In.
So far there is no fault whatever to be
found with the situation. The condition
of the Wholesale grocery trade is very salts
factory, and it has been daily improving
since April 10.
There seems to be a boom through the
country so far as trade is concerned, and
the heavy volume of railroad work now in
: course of construction isin great meas
ure accountable for il. The opening of
:, lake navigation has also given 1t an i'm.
: petus, and, with collections good in all
branches OF trade, a feeling of satisfaction
exists that has not been known Tor years.
Business generally is being conducted on
9 a conservative basis, and therein lies its
strength. Dealers are buying In smaller
;, quantities and oftener, and hence they f1nd
q it easier TO pay for their goods.
9, Telegraphic reports to the Chicago Trio
une from leading trade centers in the West,
= Northwest, and Southwest are OF one
tenor. They all speak of an unparalleled
revival of business. A dispatch from Mil
, waukee says: "A stroll among milwaukee,
merchants and manufacturers will show the
prevalence of contentment, mingled with Q
due allowance of hopefulDess, regarding
the present condition of the seasons pros
III poets for business in the various branches
= Comparatively little complaint is made re
garding the interstate commerce law, s,
far as the matter of freights is concerned
and it appears to cut little or no ngure II
affecting trade.
y st. Paul reports as follows: "Sprin
trade has generally opened up earlier thai
-. last year, owing to the favorable season
u' and the volume of business in all depart
= ments is reported to be larger than las
year. The effect of the interstate law
which it was feared would prove seriou
blow to Northwestern trade, has not bee
" as disastrous as expected.
Omaha: "The merchants of this city re
port a large increase in their business owe
a, any former year. Some of them say 1t WI
70 10 run from 80 to 80 per cent. higher, especial
he | in the grocery trade. Orders have not onl
n-l grown in numbers, but are double an
even triple in size. This is due, they sa
to the interstate commerce law, which hi
raised rates SO that country store keepe
who heretofore made their big purchase
in Chicago now get everything fro
Omaha. While sales are good, collection
,r. are also much better than usual for Il
=. time of year"
no an Denver: "Tbers is a striking unanimi
among the business men of Denver In r
gard to their present trade, and this fee
- ing extends to an agreement among the
that they do not look for its continuan
n beyond a few weeks, or months at the on
side. In comparison with last year, tn
estimate the increase variously from ~
so per cent, the latter in special line
Nearly every jobber is loud in condemnil
esd the present railroad tariffs as adjusted fro
ear a railroad standpoint 10 suit the provisio
80 of the interstate commerce law.
. Kansas City: "Unless the present inc
cations prove misleading the year 1887 W
be marked by an unprecedented deyelo
- ment Of the commercial interests OF kanf
~ City. The spring trade is satisfactory, a
II even more than satisfactory, as the surpr
ing boom in business fairly takes away
breath of the most conservative busin'
sti- men. Jobbers in dry goods are TO a cert'
sct- extent feeling the effects of the interst
uS' commerce bill so far as it relates to long a
= short hauls. They get their goods in fai
good time, but arc compelled to pay m'
- freight than formerly. The increase, no
ever, is not sufficient to injure the jobbi
business of the city,"
st. Louis: "The volume of st. Lot
m spring business averages fully an incre'
- Lnlfty per cent. ONtI tuAoO OciAoopoa
n ing months of last year. Merchants are
~ most unanimous in their indorsement of
rms interstate commerce law"
Iold New Orleans: "Nearly all lines OF tri
aid, been more satisfactory this spring than
VI several seasons past. The interstate CO
/ merce law has not unfayorably afec
', business
Louisville "SpriDg trade In Louisv
opened out with a steady feeling and
demand for almost all classes OF goc
m Except in few lines of specia!ties th
" has been no complaint on account OF
n interstate commerce law"
VI Cleveland: "Clevelands trade has 80
bad features about IL, but on the wi
there is very little drawback TO the str
- feeling that has existed for several MOI
past. The dry-goods houses report b'
. ness as better by almost one-fifth
~ spring than last, and the trade of last ,
IN was the best ever known. They gener
like the new law, as calculated 10 Il
them what they term the local trade
It'll prevent the competition of New York
In Chicago houses. Collections are
III good"
In. Cincinnat: Interviews with promiI
merchants in various branches of busi
show conflicting statements in regarC
the condition Of spring trade in sey
lines. The dry goods men say that Il
- is better this spring than last, but 1t is
-. mn 10 expectations. This has been the
sau snrinO the grocery men have had for Sc